Archive: ‘Urban Development’...

Welcome to the old Vacuum Oil plant on the west bank of the Genesee River in Rochester’s Plymouth-Exchange neighborhood. Abandoned for nearly a century, there has been very little desire to re-develop this 26-acre site due to contamination. Now, the City of Rochester is aiming to use New York State’s Brownfield Opportunity Areas program to clean it up and plan for its future redevelopment. But as of today, this property is still highly toxic. And you guessed it—we’re going inside…

Well, it had to come to this – a whirlwind article about everything else in Rochester. We’re going to run the gamut from Industrial, to all the Center City District (CCD) zones to Open Space, and everything inbetween. Buckle Up…

Here’s a quick update on a story we brought attention to exactly five years ago. On this empty lot (shown above) once stood 72 Conkey Avenue. The old 19th century Victorian storefront had been the subject of a demolition-vs-rehabilitation debate—one between the City of Rochester and neighborhood resident, Jim Fraser, who has restored a handful of neglected homes in the area. Jim saw 72 Conkey as a diamond in the rough…

This former Rochester Plumbing Supply building at 281 Mill Street has recently been renovated and converted into 14 new apartments in downtown’s growing High Falls district. This is an exciting development not only because of the new life it will add to this neighborhood, but because this building has a pretty sweet past…

I am SUPER excited to be working with the volunteers at Reconnect Rochester to organize Rochester’s first ever Street Films event at The Little Theatre on November 19. If you follow this blog, you clearly have a passion for Rochester and the infrastructure that makes our city run. And I think you’ll enjoy the thought-provoking film clips and live discussion that will take place at this event. Don’t wait to reserve your seat. Here are the details…

Consider this a lightweight palette cleanser in the middle of the five course, multi-month feast that is the zoning series. Even so, it’s deeply related to zoning, so you’re not getting off that easy. Read on if you dare (Halloween pun intended!).

Goodbye houses, hello something more! Having already discussed the city’s 3 residential zones, it’s time to talk about its 3 mixed-use zones. In one of the many progressive moves in the 2003 re-zoning, Rochester moved away from pure commercial use zones by adding mixed use and residential uses to the (formerly) commercial zones. The narrative descriptions changed, but the letter designations did not. Anyway, ditch the bowtie, grab a monocle and let’s go…

Quick update on this story I posted in January about the sole remaining house in the Capron neighborhood downtown. Patrick Dutton has been working extremely hard to save and repurpose the structure. I know because he told me directly and I also have had conversations with contractors I know personally who have said the same. Unfortunately the house at 35 St. Mary’s Place has partially collapsed during the work, and now may be unsalvageable. Here’s an update directly from Dutton…

Over the past year I’ve been itching to move downtown (“Oh, you live really downtown” is the common response upon mentioning my address). This past spring I finally ripped the bandaid and moved out of my mom’s house. In the month between choosing where to live and moving in, I scoped out my new neighborhood nearly every day. It was always obvious that surface parking lots dominated the usable land in the St. Joseph’s Park neighborhood, or as I like to call it, St. Joseph’s Parking Lot. What shocked me was one particular lot that never saw a car. Morning, noon, and night I drove by the lot on the Northwest corner of the intersection at Franklin & Pleasant Streets . Every time there sat only a rusty chain and two cones across the entrance…

Well readers, this is it. The series of articles you’ve been waiting for your entire life without even knowing it. That’s right, we’re going to talk about zoning, and more specifically, zoning in Rochester. I’ve been known to refer to zoning as the last bastion for the wicked, and over the next few weeks, I look forward to pleading my case.

Welcome back, readers – it’s been a while! But now that summer is drawing to a close, and we’re starting to stock up for the long winter ahead (wouldn’t want to be THIS guy ), it’s time to start Filling In again. For our first discussion, let’s revisit Aldi. When we last wrote about it, Mike was advocating for getting good design, and I was putting forward a couple ideas about how the store might improve its relationship with the neighborhood . “Fine,” you say, “where is this going?” Well I’m glad you asked.

This is Rochester’s fruit belt, and the inspiration behind a new collaboration between Greentopia and Shawn Dunwoody. The Fruit Belt Mural Project aims to transform one of Rochester’s most challenged neighborhoods (JOSANA, in the northwest quadrant) through art…

I’ve always been a fan of Rochester Subway content which looks at our city from a different angle. I thought I might contribute something in turn, that looks at our city from an aerial angle.

I noticed this week that Google Earth had updated its imagery to include snapshots from as early as a month ago. It is now possible to follow a lot of tangible changes that have been going on in the city for a while. I put together a handful of before-and-afters that I thought were interesting (to me anyway). Take a look at the album and see if you can spot the differences…

Yesterday we took a bike ride down inside the Inner Loop with Matthew Ehlers to see how Rochester’s “big fill” was progressing. Quite nicely I’d say. But once filled, the next question becomes, what will fill the void.

RocSubway reader Ben Voellinger pointed us to a recent document posted to the City’s website that outlines recommendations for future development(s) along the new Union Street. Thanks Ben! Let’s take a look…

The City of Rochester has issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) to adaptively reuse, redevelop, and operate five former bus shelters on Main Street in downtown Rochester, NY. The deadline to respond is June 26 and successful proposals are expected to be announced by July 31…

On Saturday, April 25th, from 11am to 7pm, Arnett Boulevard between Rugby Avenue and Wellington Avenue in southwest Rochester’s 19th Ward Neighborhood will come alive with events, artwork, and temporary small businesses.

This Better Block project, in the historic Arnett Trolley Stop District, is part of a nation-wide movement to demonstrate possibilities for revitalizing urban neighborhoods.

Last week we paid a final visit to the abandoned Sykes Datatronics building on Orchard Street . This week we take a look at recent work submitted by RIT Architecture students that reimagines this former industrial site as a new and robust community center…

After the Erie Canal was rerouted south of downtown Rochester, the Rochester
Industrial & Rapid Transit Railway (the subway) was built in
its place as a link between the five different railroads and interurban trolley
lines that served the Rochester area. As the industrial landscape of Rochester
changed, and highways replaced the railroads, the Rochester subway gradually
became a relic of a bygone era. In 1956 the subway was abandoned and much of
its route was converted into Interstate 490  built to connect Rochester
with the New York State Thruway (I-90).Read more about the history of the Rochester Subway.

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